Switch for electric flash lights



FeBZI, 1928.

R. M. EATON SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC FLASH LIGHTS Filed Sept.. 23. 1926 Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

I UNirEDfsTATEs PATENT. oF

i 1,659,864 Fica.

RICHARD MAXWELL EATON, or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

SWITOH FOR ELECTRIC FLASH LIGHTS.

Application led September 23, 1928. :Serial No. 137,264.

provision of a circuit closing device for electric flashlights which may be positively re-y tained in circuit open position to prevent accidental closing of the circuit and exhaustion of the battery current when, say, the flash light is packed for transportation or carried in the pocket. Accordingly, a locking device is provided which requires, preferably, a depressionof the switch and then a movementof translation thereof, in order to move the circuit closer from circuit open` position. 'More particularly,- .the circuit p 'closer comprises a slide which must be de.-

I affording an intermittent as pressed against the action of resilient devices, such as a spring, to disengao'e the same from astop and then pushed' orwardly to an operative or circuit closing position. Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch capable of being locked in circuit open position and also capable of well as a sustained Vflash or illumination. According to this aspect of the invention, a slide is adapted to be locked in circuit open position and upon unlocking, is movable to one position where anintermittent flash may be obtained and to another position where a sustained flash is afforded.

. The invention also seeks to provide4 a switch structure of simple design in the interest .of manufacture and use. To this end a resilient device for -theslide is provided whereby the intermittent closing o the circuit is effected, which resilient device also effects the locking of the slide in circuit open position and in the other positions serves as one of the electrical contacts of the switch.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the acnwhich the switchl ferred embodiment whichf Fig. 1 is a view, in elevation, showing one form .of electric flashlight to which the invention 1s applied, -the' switch being illustrated in middle or intermittent circuit closing position.

.Fig 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a circuit closing device according to the present invention.

3 is a plan view showing the slide.

Fig. 4 is a planview showing one of the electrical contacts.

Fig. 5 is a planj view showing the resilient device serving as the other contact.

The switch according to the present invention is shown in Figs. l and 2 as applied to an electric flash light having atubular battery container or cap or end 7 is removable for the insertion of dry cells and a-removable head 8 contains the lens 9 'and a reflector, not shown.

Ata convenient point on the housing or container 6, a casing 10 is secured having an opening or slot 1l formedin the top surface through which an irregular or knurled thumb piece 12 on the slide 13 projects for manual actuation i. e. depressionand reciprocation. lhe container is also formed with lari opening 14 through which a tongue 27 on a conductor strip 15 is adapted to extend.

The container 6 serves as part of the electrical circuit and connects, say, with the negative pole ,of the battery, not shown. The

positive pole of the'battery, as will be understood, contacts with the electric lamp. Contact 15 also contacts with 'thel lamp, not shown, by means of the inwardly extending lip 16, the contact being insulated 'from the container or shell 6 by an insulating element 17 which breaks the tween the battery andthe lamp and permits the interposition of'a circuit closing device or switch. r

.As clearly shown in Figure 2, the casing l0, conductor strip 15 and insulating element 17 are all -secured to the wallof the container in one operation by means of the rivets or eyelets'located at each end of the switch casing.

In the illustrated embodiment a switch is provided which is movable between three positions, to wit, a circuit open position, in

' or slide 13 is preferably locked; a position in which the slide may be handle 6, whereof the continuous circuit be- 1 depressed to provide an intermittent contact .a further means of preventing there.

p to afford a continuous the time due to the fwith a bowed portion the circuit.

orA one which -is made wholly at the willl of the operator; and a permanent contact position in which the contact is sustained automatically to provide a continuing or constant illumination.

The first of thesefpositionsis shown in full lines'in Fig. 2. There the slide 13 is in its fully retracted position, the circuit is open, the spring 18has forced the slide -upwardly against the top wall 19 of the switch case 10 and a stop 2() 0n the slide is in engagement with the end 21 of theslot in the top wall 19 ofthe vents all reciprocation. In addition, a bowed portion 22 of the spring lies within a depression or indentation 23 in the container 6 as relative dis'- being also formed 24 which lies within the upwardly extending indentation forming the thumb piece 12 to prevent relative movement of the spring 18 and slide 13.

'To eiect an intermittent ilash the slide 13 is moved to the intermediate position shown in' Fig. 1. To free the slide for movement, it is depressed 'against the action of the placement, the spring spring 18 until the stop 20'lies below the end 21 on the switch case 10. `The slide may then be pushed forwardly until the spring loop 22 engages the depression 25 in the container wall. Asthe spring loop 22 snaps into the depression 25 an audible signal is given that therslide is in intermediate posi- 'tion and1 its movement isv retarded so as to conveniently permit its manual positioning In the intermediate position `the slide may be depressed at will to form a contact and close the circuit between the contact member 15. The spring 18 is conveniently availed of to this purpose. To

' this `end the sprinlS is formed as a flat v strip 1 as shown in i g. 5, bent as previously described and formed at its one end with a downwardly extending contact 26. l Then, when theV slide is'pressed downwardly,the contact 26 is brought into engagement with the lip 27 on the contact member 15 to" close thefcircuit so long as pressure is applied. So soon as the pressure is released the spring returns to its normal form and breaks The third position of the slide isindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Here the contacts 26 and 27 are always in engagement or permanent illumiend 26 is held down all fact that the stop is beneath the top wall 19 of the switch case and the extreme end of the resilient lip'27 is always in contact therewith due to its upwardly deflected form.

"It will thus be seen that a ash light is afforded wherein the switch element nation. The spring housing 10 which pre the container and is movable between three positions, the first.,

a circuit open position, the second, an the slide may be depressed to eect a closing of the circuit at the will ofthe operator, and the third, a position in which the circuit is constantly closed to afford` a continuous 0r permanent illumination. vTo retain the slide in locked position and to yieldingly return itl to open the circuit in intermediate position the same spring is used and this spring is utilized in the interest of simplicity of construction as one of the electrical contacts of the switch.

Various modilications maybe made in the configuration and disposition of the various component elements going to make circuit closing device as `a.whole. Certain aspects :of the invention are capable of independent'use as well as in the combination and no limitation is intended by the lforegoing indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

preferably locked,

12A switch for electric 'flashlights comprising a slotted casing, a contact strip proend portion for Vengaging said contact strip,

said spring having a bowed portion extending within the thumb piece, said slidable member having an o en circuit position, a manually'operable circuit closing position for establishing liashing contact and an additional circuit closing position for establishing permanent contact.

2. A switch :tor electric iiashlights comprising a slotted casing, a contact strip pro- ]ecting within said casing, ber havin an outwardly i-essed ortion eX- tending t P P l rough the slot in said casing and formin a thumb piece and a flat springlassociete with the slidable member and aving one. end portion forengagingsaid contact strip, said spring having a `bowed portion extending within the thumb piece, said slidable member having an opencircuit position, a manually operable? circuit closing position for establishing flashing?- contact and an additional circuit closing position for establishing permanent contact, and means for locking the slidable member in the open circuit position Vuntil said thumb piece has been manually operated.

3.' A switch for electric ashlights comprising the combination with the ashlight shell formed with depressions and an opensecured to the shell Aand proJecting throng the opening, 'a slotted casing, a slidable member having -a thumb p iece projecting through the slot, a fiat vtension and contact spring fitting linto thesliding, la contact stripx intermediate position in which up theY description or illustrations except as 'l a slidable memable member and having a bowed its upper side extending within t e thumb piece, said ring also having its lower side provided wlth a downward depression to snap into the depressions in the-flashlight shell, said slidable member having an open circuit position, a manually operable cir-` cuit closing position for establishing ashing contact and an additional circuit closing position for establishing permanent contact.

4. A switch for electric flashlights comprising, the combination with ya. flashlight shell formed with an opening, a contact strip projecting through rtion on the openlng,` insllatxng means between the stri and shell, a slotted 15 casing, a slidable mem r having a thumb piece projecting through the slot, a fiat tension and contact spring associated with the slidable member and havin a bowed portionr extending within the t umb piece and vfastening means located at ends of the casing for securing the contact strip, insulating nlileslips and switch casing to the flashlight s e In testimony whereof have hereto affixed my signature on this 16 day of September 1926.

RICHARD MAXWELL EATON. 

